are seven sacraments, truly and properly so called, instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord, and necessary for the salvation of mankind, though not all of them to every one, viz. baptism, confirmation, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and matrimony; and that they do confer grace; and that of these, confirmation, and orders, cannot be repeated without sacrilege.-I also receive and admit the received and approved rites of the Catholic Church, in her solemn administration of all the aforesaid sacraments." A sacrament is an institution of Christ, consisting in some outward sign or ceremony, by which grace is given to the soul of the worthy receiver.* Baptism is a sacrament instituted by Christ, according to his commission, and from the belief and practice of the Church of Christ in all ages, and of the apostles themselves, who administered baptism in water.† Confirmation is a sacrament wherein by the invocation of the Holy Ghost, and the imposition of the bishop's hands, with the unction of holy chrism, a person receives the grace of the Profession of the Catholic Faith, p. 15, 16, and 17. + See the Xth Article of this Creed. Also, Profession of Catholic Faith, p. 20. X Holy Ghost, and a strength, in order to the professing of his faith.* Confirmation is that which makes us perfect Christians, and impresses an indelible character after baptism, and imparts to us the spirit of fortitude, whereby we are enabled to profess Christianity even at the hazard of our lives; and is therefore deemed a sacrament by the Church.† Penance or infliction, the act of using or submitting to punishment, public or private, as an expression of repentance for sin, is deemed one of the seven sacraments. When the question is asked in the "Grounds," &c. What do you mean by the sacrament of penance? The answer is, Confession of sins with a sincere repentance, and the priest's absolution.† Penance is elsewhere defined to be, "A sacrament, consisting in some outward sign or ceremony, by which grace is given to the soul of the worthy receiver, instituted by Christ when, breathing upon the disciples, he gave them the Holy Ghost to remit and retain sins; that is, to reconcile the faithful fallen into sin after bap * Calmet's Dict. Article of Confirmation. + Grounds of the Catholic Faith, p. 21. tism: it differeth from baptism not only in matter and form, but also, because the minister of baptism is not a judge in that ordinance; whereas after baptism the sinner presents himself before the tribunal of the priest as guilty, to be set at liberty by his sentence: it is, however, as necessary as baptism: the form consists in the words, "I do absolve thee." Contrition, confession, and satisfaction, are parts of penance, and the effect is reconciliation with God. Extreme unction is a sacrament, and to be administered when persons are in imminent danger, and last of all to be applied.* "Q. What do you mean by extreme unction? -A. You have the full description of it in James v. 14, 15. "Is any sick among you, let him call for the elders (the priests) of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."† Orders. "If any one shall say, that orders or holy ordination is not truly and properly a sacrament, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, or * Conc. Trident. session xiv. c. xiii. that it is a human contrivance invented by men, who were ignorant of ecclesiastical affairs, or that it is only a particular rite of chusing ministers of the word of God, and of sacraments, let him be anathema ;*—or that the Holy Ghost is not given by holy ordination, let him be anathema."+ "Orders," says the author of the Profession of the Catholic faith," is a sacrament instituted by Christ, by which bishops, priests, &c. are consecrated to their respective functions, and receive grace to discharge them well." Matrimony. "If any man says that this is not truly and properly one of the seven sacraments, instituted by Jesus Christ, but that it is an institution only of the Church, and does not confer grace, let him be anathema.‡” "And if any man says, a churchman in holy orders may marry or contract marriage, and that when it is contracted it is good and valid, notwithstanding any ecclesiastical law to the contrary, or that any who have vowed continence may contract marriage, let him be anathema.§" * Dupin's Hist. of the Council of Trent, Session xxiii: Canon iii. + Ibid. Canon iv. Session xxiv. Canon i. § Canon ix. " Art. XVI. I embrace and receive every thing that hath been defined and declared by the holy Council of Trent, concerning original sin and justification."* "Good works do truly deserve eternal life, and whosoever holds the contrary is accursedt." The Council of Trent declares, that all of the human kind have lost their holiness and righteousness by the sin of Adam, making an exception for the Virgin Mary. "Eternal life ought to be proposed to the children of God, both as a grace mercifully promised, and as a reward faithfully bestowed on them for their good works and merits."|| "The good works of a justified person are not so the gifts of God, that they are not also the merits of the justified person; and that he, being justified by the good works performed by him, through the grace of God and merits of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does truly merit increase of grace and eternal life.§”. Bossuet, on the doctrine of merit, observes, * Pope Pius's Creed, Article XVI. + Trid. Session vi. c. xvi. Canon xxxii. Session v. section 2. Bossuet's Exposition of the Catholic Catechism. § Con. Trid. Session vi. Canon xxxii. |